A coaching career that started in 1966 ended on Thursday when Monte Kiffin died in Oxford, Mississippi.

The Ole Miss football program announced the 84-year-old Kiffin’s death. The longtime NFL defensive coordinator had spent the previous four seasons on the staff of his son, Rebels coach Lane Kiffin, as a player personnel analyst.

Monte Kiffin began coaching at his alma mater, Nebraska, in 1966. While Kiffin served as the head coach at North Carolina State and as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys, he’s likely best remembered for the 13 seasons that he spent as the defensive coordinator of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Kiffin became the architect of the Tampa 2 defense with the Bucs from 1996 through 2008. Tampa Bay defeated the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII on Jan. 26, 2003, with Kiffin calling the defensive shots, and four players now enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame played on Kiffin’s defense during that span – Ronde Barber, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Warren Sapp.

Kiffin is a member of the Buccaneers’ Ring of Fame, and earlier this year, the Pro Football Hall of Fame presented him with its Award of Excellence for his impact on the NFL and the game.

“Monte Kiffin was a beloved and iconic member of the Buccaneers family, and our entire organization mourns his loss today,” said the Glazer family, the owners of the Buccaneers, in a statement released by the team. “As a coach, Monte was a true innovator who got the best out of his players and helped create one of the signature defenses of the early 2000s. His passionate and energetic leadership style resonated with all his players, and he was instrumental in our first Super Bowl win and the success of Hall of Famers such as Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch and Ronde Barber. Off the field, Monte was kind, genuine, gracious and always had a positive attitude. He was very special to the Buccaneers organization and our family.

“We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Robin, son, Lane, daughter, Heidi, son, Chris, and the entire Kiffin family.”

The Ole Miss announcement said Kiffin “peacefully passed award today in Oxford surround by family and friends. As his grandson Knox said, he’s free of pain and smiling down on us from above. Please keep the Kiffin family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.”

Kiffin left Tampa Bay to become Tennessee’s defensive coordinator when Lane Kiffin became the Volunteers’ head coach in 2009. The elder Kiffin also worked for his head-coach son at Southern Cal and Florida Atlantic.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.